The Democratic nomination for the newly created 33rd Congressional District will be determined by a tactical street fight in neighborhoods stretching from north Oak Cliff to the Fort Worth Stockyards.

With a low turnout expected for the July 31 runoff between state Rep. Marc Veasey and former state Rep. Domingo Garcia, both candidates have given up any pretense of broad campaigns and retreated to their geographic and ethnic bases.

That’s something of a shift by Garcia, the Dallas candidate who spent resources and valuable time in the first round campaigning to all segments of voters across the entire district.

Garcia says he’s still talking to all voters in the district.

But his strategy for winning seems to hinge on his ability to get support through an aggressive vote-by-mail program. He says he’s also stepping up his efforts to turn out Hispanics for early voting, since there may be a drop-off among all voters on election day.

Meanwhile, Veasey is continuing his original plan, which involves maximizing votes from the district’s most formidable bloc, blacks in Tarrant County. Veasey has also made limited inroads in Dallas County.

In the May 29 primary, Veasey finished first in the 11-person field and was 12 percentage points ahead of Garcia.

More than 18,000 people voted in the first round, but the candidates expect a steep decline for the runoff.

So even though Veasey has a demographic advantage because of the black vote in Tarrant County, Garcia could rebound by hustling support in what’s going to be a tiny turnout.

Garcia’s pursuit of mail votes is intriguing.

For the primary, Garcia didn’t have a mail ballot program and it showed in the results. He got fewer than 400 votes by mail, while Veasey had more than 800. This time, Garcia is targeting 9,000 senior households, mostly Hispanics.

Veasey has said he’s telephoning older voters to get them to vote by mail or early at the polls.

In a strategy meeting with community leaders, Garcia said he was running a full-blown field campaign to get more mail and early votes.

Mail ballot campaigns, particularly those done in the field by campaign operatives, are costly and labor-intensive. They target seniors who are brought or mailed applications for ballots.

State laws prohibit campaign workers from handling or harvesting ballots, a practice that was often used in Dallas County.

Dallas County Elections Administrator Toni Pippins-Poole said there have been two complaints from voters about mail ballot irregularities. She forwarded them to Dallas County District Attorney Craig Watkins for investigation.

Pippins-Poole said 1,828 mail ballots for the Democratic runoffs have been returned to her office, with about 4,539 mailed to voters countywide.

“That’s much higher than the May 29 election,” Pippins-Poole said.

Because of the increased amount of mail ballot activity, pastors at some churches have told their senior members not to let campaign operatives handle their ballots.

Automated phone calls were being made to minority voters in the district with a similar message.

If Garcia is to prevail, he has to find a way to offset the structural campaign advantages that Veasey enjoys.

Though the district’s population is about 67 percent Hispanic, there are more registered black voters and more voters from Tarrant County.

What’s more, a large portion of the district includes Texas House District 95, which Veasey represents. A runoff to replace him is also on the July 31 ballot, which could bring more black voters to the polls.

It appears to be Veasey’s race to win, unless Garcia can manage to snatch it from him.

NOTES: Veasey building big lead in fundraising

State Rep. Marc Veasey’s first-place finish in the May 29 primary for the 33rd Congressional District appears to have helped his fundraising.

In the latest reporting period, Veasey hauled in more than $418,000 for his runoff campaign against Domingo Garcia, according to the most recent federal campaign disclosure reports. Veasey’s total is approaching $1 million. He raised more during the last period than Garcia has for the entire election.

Garcia’s fundraising has stalled. Federal reports show he’s brought in only $33,000 in the most recent period.

But that doesn’t mean the Dallas lawyer doesn’t have any money. He lent himself $680,000, bringing his personal loan total to $1.2 million.

An endorsement from Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson, D-Dallas, helped Veasey. He’s gotten cash from several Democratic leaders in Congress and from the political arm of the Congressional Black Caucus.

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About Gromer Jeffers Jr.

Most unforgettable experience on the job: Covering the 2008 presidential race, including the dramatic primary contest between Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton. I was with John McCain for his final campaign stand and classy concession speech.

Something people don't know about me: Was once the lead singer in a Chicago
gospel quartet.

If I had two spare hours, I would: Play poker in the Wrigley Field bleachers
during a Cubs game.

The secret of a good news column is: One part news. One part
yourself.